


Keep it Together

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: California Dreaming [5]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-16
Updated: 2013-05-16
Packaged: 2017-12-12 00:23:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/804955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three of the kids at his table would never be adopted, and chances were dwindling for the other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep it Together

They sat around the dinner table quiet and solemn. Other than Cameron, who always ate like he had to turn himself into federal custody the next day, the spaghetti was eaten slowly. Gideon himself hardly had an appetite but he pretended. He did it for the kids’ sake. Over the next few days Jason was sure that one or all of them would want to come and talk. 

This kind of thing didn't happen often in his house but when it did feelings ranged all over the place. Earlier that evening, Maddie’s social worker Kim Sanchez came over to talk to her about her mother. She also wanted to talk about what would happen next. As advised, Jason hadn't said a word to her. He’d been through this before; knew the routine. The peppy seven year old was blissfully ignorant as she came into Gideon’s study.

“ _Hi Miss Kim.” Maddie smiled. She’d been her caseworker for three years. They were well acquainted._

_“Hi Maddie. Come and sit down; we need to talk to you.”_

_“OK.”_

_She came and sat down next to Gideon on the couch._

_“What's up?” she asked._

_“We want to talk to you about your mom.” Kim said._

_“Is she OK?” Maddie asked._

_“She's OK. Your mom is going to have to spend time in jail. She committed a crime and she has to take the punishment.”_

_“How long does she have to go to jail?”_

_“The judge is going to make her stay for 10 years.” Kim replied._

_“But that’s so long. What about me, Miss Kim? Does the judge know about me? In ten years I’ll be really, really old.”_

_“The judge does know about you and making sure you're taken care of is important.”_

_“I can't live with my mom if she has to live in jail can I, Gideon?”_

_“No.” he shook his head._

_“So I'm going to live here with you until she can take care of me again?” Maddie asked._

_“Not exactly Maddie.” Kim said._

_“What's going on?”_

_Maddie started to get nervous. Gideon saw her knees shaking and her blue eyes darting back and forth. She put her palms down on the couch cushion as she was about to leap and run away. He wanted to put his hand on her shoulder. Something about her body language said that wasn’t a good idea. He would just sit beside her and wait. It wasn’t the best idea he ever had but it was all he had at the moment._

_“The judge wants you to be adopted.” Kim said._

_“Gideon can adopt me.” Maddie looked at him. “Right Gideon?”_

_“It’s important to me that you grow up in a good home with two loving parents, Maddie. You should have a mother figure and a father figure who can teach you and nurture you. That way you can become a strong, well-rounded, awesome adult.”_

_“But you're loving, and you can teach me stuff.”_

_“I do and I can. I know that you don’t understand everything we’re trying to tell you. I care about you so much, which is why I want you to go to a good home.”_

_“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Maddie asked._

_“I absolutely am not.” Gideon shook his head. “The situation is tough on all of us.”_

_“Do I have to leave right now?” Maddie seemed more resigned than anything._

_“You're going to stay here until we can find a good family for you.” Kim said. “We won't move you until there is somewhere safe for you to be.”_

_“But I don’t want to go.”_

_“I know Maddie but this is the best solution in the end.” Jason said. “I promise you that everything is going to be OK.”_

_“My mom made promises too.” her tone was bitter. “She told me she would stop doing that stuff that made her high and she wouldn’t go to jail anymore. She lied Gideon, and you're lying now.”_

_“I'm not lying to you.”_

_“I hate promises!” she exclaimed, standing up from the couch. “Can I just go to my room now?”_

_“Yes.” Jason nodded. “I’ll come up in a little while and check on you.”_

_“Just leave me alone.”_

_Jason didn't leave her alone. After Kim left, he checked on Maddie. She was lying in bed crying. When he sat on the bed and stroked her hair, Maddie turned over. She mumbled and told him to get out._

_“I will leave you alone for now but I don’t want you to feel alone, Maddie. I'm here; I'm here for whatever you need._ ”

“I don’t wanna be a jerk, I really don’t.” Tameka said. “But c'mon, getting adopted is a good thing. What’s Maddie so upset for?”

“She wants to be with her mom.” Cameron said, talking with his mouth full and getting the look from Gideon. “I get that. Her mom broke another promise; I get that too. She may not ever see her again and that sucks.”

“Oh I know it sucks.” Tameka said. “But hell, I'm never gonna see my mom again and no one wants to adopt me either. I'm stuck here. No offense, Gideon.”

“I know; none taken.” He nodded.

“This place is the best place I ever lived.” Jake said, sipping his tea.

Gideon looked at him. Jake didn't talk much about his life. He was a survivor and just wanted to continue to survive. One day he probably would seek out someone to talk with, like a counselor or a friend. Jake was a very self-aware boy. He understood that for right now he needed to make it. Later he would want to thrive.

“My mom made me promises too I'm sure. Since she bolted when I was four I'm pretty sure she didn't keep any of them. Here with Gideon I'm safe. I don’t have to worry about my dad getting drunk and shooting beer cans out back all night. I don’t have to worry about getting slapped around for doing the things kids normally do. 

“Maddie has a chance to be with a family who wants her. She may not see right now that that’s a good thing. It’s going to take some time to sink in. Right now she’s just upset and scared…I think we’ve all been there.”

“Tashima, do you have anything to add?” Jason asked.

The 12 year old shook her head. She acted like her spaghetti was the most important meal in the world though he was sure it was lukewarm by now. She was always the voice of reason amongst the kids so it concerned Jason that right now she had nothing. It was a lot to digest for all of them. 

Three of the kids at his table would never be adopted, and chances were dwindling for the other. They all experienced the loss that Maddie had. For some of them it was permanent. On some level each kid at the table was jealous. They would probably trade something they loved for the chance to be seven again and even remotely desirable to a family seeking to adopt.

“I don’t have much of an appetite, Gideon.” She said. “Can I just be excused?”

“Of course.”

Tashima got up and left the kitchen. Tameka wasn’t far behind and Cameron went right after her. At least he’d cleaned his plate. Not asking for seconds was a big deal though. That left Jason and Jake. The teenager studied the adult across the table.

“Want me to clean up and do the dishes?” he asked.

“I must look bad if you're volunteering.”

“I just want to help.” Jake smirked.

“I’ll clean up. I know you have to finish _Lord of the Flies_ for English class. You can go and read now.”

“Yay.” Jake couldn’t even pretend to be enthusiastic as he got up from the table and walked out of the kitchen.

When he was alone, Gideon sighed. Nothing about this would be easy. It wouldn’t be easy for Maddie, him, or any of the other kids. They were going to get through it but the road was bumpy. Actually the road was full of potholes, sinkholes, and even landmines. 

They were still going to get through it. Jason Gideon didn't live in a place where things were easy. He was a fighter and he had a group of fighters on his hands. This was going to be a tough battle but they were ready. They were always ready.

***

“I bought you a gift.”

“Is that customary practice after the third non-date? I'm asking for a friend.”

Paloma smiled as she walked up the steps and onto the side deck. It was raining now, light rain, and Gideon sat under the awning on the glider. The bulldog, she couldn’t remember his name, was sitting at his feet.

“Tell your friend that the best rules to have are no rules.” She sat down beside him and handed him the bag. “I thought this might bring a little smile to your face.”

“Whatever it is, I appreciate it.”

“Open it.” she nudged him and Jason nodded.

She called an hour ago and Jason didn't sound right. He tried to deny anything was wrong. After a few minutes he amended his statement. Paloma said she could come over if he wanted to talk. Jason said he didn't want to inconvenience her. 

She said she could come over and stare into space with him if he wanted. He laughed some, surprising even himself when he said yes. She told him that she would be there soon. Now they sat side by side on the glider watching the rainfall. Jason opened the bag and pulled out the bottle of scotch.

“This is my favorite…well, the brand is.” He said.

“That’s something I knew about you. I know you always have some 18 Year Single Malt Reserve on hand but I thought you might like to try this. It’s the 15 Year Solera Reserve. The woman at the store told me that it comes from three types of casks. It’s full and fruity, with honey and vanilla notes.”

“Thank you; it’s great. Would you like a glass?”

“I don’t like scotch.” Paloma shook her head. “I’ll occasionally have a glass of cognac but I usually stick to cocktails or martinis.”

“What's your favorite cognac?” Jason asked.

“My father always had a good bottle of Remy Martin so that’s what I started on. Now I usually buy Hennessey. I have to say Remy Martin is probably my favorite but its quite pricy and I don’t drink it enough to indulge in the purchase.”

“This couldn’t have been cheap.”

“Its bad form to talk about the cost of gifts.” Paloma said. “Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?”

“I don’t.” he shook his head. “I mean I do, but…”

“I understand that.” she leaned back on the glider. “We really can just sit here and stare into space if that’s what you want.”

“I'm glad you're here. It’s been a long day.”

“I don’t mind if you have a drink.” Paloma said.

“I already have. I only allow myself one drink on school nights.”

“That’s a plan. Keep this up and you might be a good influence on me, Jason Gideon.”

“Ditto.”

She looked at him. Paloma sighed, putting her hand on top of his. It was resting on his knee. Now Jason was looking at her.

“I'm a California girl through and through.” She said. “I love the sun, I love the beach, and I love the outdoors. But something about a rainy night just makes me feel good.”

“Its cleansing.” Jason said.

“When you're sad I want to kiss you.”

“Only when I'm sad?”

“No, pretty much all the time. Just especially when you're sad.”

Paloma leaned and kissed him before Gideon could respond. He caressed her face, moaning softly as the kiss intensified. He liked kissing her. He liked the feeling when she was close to him and her lips were on his. 

He liked the way she tasted, almost like something forbidden but that he had to have. Paloma didn't hold back when she did anything and that included kissing. It had been a long time for him. Still Jason knew a good kiss when he got one.

“I'm not feeling so awful anymore.” he whispered when their lips came apart but her forehead rested on his. 

“You can lean on me, Jason. You don’t have to…I think you might be used to going it alone. I understand that. But I'm here.”

“You're here.” He said.

“Yeah.” Paloma kissed him again.

“I have to make sure the kids are getting ready for bed.” it was nearly painful to pull away from her. Jason hoped what he felt in the pit of his stomach didn't show on his face.

“I can go. I know you have a lot to do. I've got a hot bath with my name written all over it.”

“I didn't mean for you to come all this way just to turn around and go home again.”

“Do you have a better offer?” she raised her eyebrow when she asked.

“It’s hard to top a hot bath.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“What about Hitchcock, cocktails, and just seeing where the evening takes us?” he asked.

“I can do that.”

“Are you sure?”

“Jason, you had me at Hitchcock.”

“OK,” he managed a smile. Standing from the glider, he held out a hand for her. “You can relax in the den while I check on the kids.”

Paloma nodded and gave him her hand. They had time to talk, maybe spending an evening being silent and enjoying each other company might be more to their benefit tonight. She was happy that he invited her in. It felt like a big step with Jason. Paloma knew this was going to be a baby steps relationship, if it turned into a relationship at all. 

Even being friends with him was something she wanted. There was a part of Jason Gideon that connected with her, whether either of them could put their finger on it or not. The spark was there. Paloma felt it. Sometimes she was sure he felt it too. Still, real life often pulled them in so many different directions. Tonight, it managed to pull them together.

***


End file.
